Of course, a large part of the problem with Obama’s policy is that he not only treated enemies as friends and did not pressure supposed friends that acted like enemies, he joined them. Thus, Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia are arming anti-American Islamist forces in Syria with U.S. intelligence officers supervising the weapons’ supplying. The only restriction is that the guns don’t go to groups affiliated with al-Qaida. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter how extremist they are. In Libya, one of the groups—treated as “good guys”– supplied with guns by the United States during the civil war there went on to kill the U.S. ambassador.

Yet given the current situation, especially in the Middle East, a realistic policy would make the enemies’ list seem too long and discouraging. In political and diplomatic terms that means the truth will be covered up. The important question is: How far does a country have to go, how futile and even counterproductive do the pay-offs have to be, before it is no longer treated as a friend.

About the Author:Professor Barry Rubin is director of the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center and editor of the Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) Journal. See the GLORIA/MERIA site at www.gloria-center.org.

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4 Responses to “US Mideast Paradox: My Friend who Acts Like an Enemy is my Enemy”

The charade of international diplomacy messed up, complicated clear resolves for serious problems. Policy-makers nonrtheless follow suit avoiding roots of conflicts and disputes… e.g. Israel-Palestinian Islamists, Israel-Arab Muslims, India-Pakistan, China-North and East Asia, Turkey- –, Germany – -… Animosities had not waned, (human nature) they find their way on the surface at any opportune time. Modern times found itself confronting with similar scenario with conspiracies and betrayals in various forms, these days the magnitude of conflicts are eating up our very essence of existence. Then, if a person is not for you, let's take it, he is not really for you. One is on safer ground with this, than believing otherwise. Or, let's take and bear it, hoping the pretending friend who is the enemy encounter adversity and really turn to become a friend. Hmmm, whew. Sorry, no specifics. The pattern is almost all identical. Israel is now taking all the brunt regardless from what side.

The charade of international diplomacy messed up, complicated clear resolves for serious problems. Policy-makers nonrtheless follow suit avoiding roots of conflicts and disputes… e.g. Israel-Palestinian Islamists, Israel-Arab Muslims, India-Pakistan, China-North and East Asia, Turkey- –, Germany – -… Animosities had not waned, (human nature) they find their way on the surface at any opportune time. Modern times found itself confronting with similar scenario with conspiracies and betrayals in various forms, these days the magnitude of conflicts are eating up our very essence of existence. Then, if a person is not for you, let's take it, he is not really for you. One is on safer ground with this, than believing otherwise. Or, let's take and bear it, hoping the pretending friend who is the enemy encounter adversity and really turn to become a friend. Hmmm, whew. Sorry, no specifics. The pattern is almost all identical. Israel is now taking all the brunt regardless from what side.

The one that says he is continuing the war against terrorism? The same Obama that says he will never accept an Iranian nuclear weapons program:?

Or

the Obama that want's to appoint Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense.

This is the Chuck Hagel that believes that Iran and all other Islamic terrorists can be handled by negotiations, and that the US would be better of with Iranian ICBM's pointed at the US than confronting Iran militarily.

Every US senator and every Jewish Press reader should be asking this question.